Chateauneuf & Pont de Vaux

Un Chien at Pont de Vaux market

Just a simple street market but lovely

Yesterday was another fairly lazy day with just a trip to the Pont de Vaux market in the morning.  3 big punnets of raspberries, 2 of strawberries – the lovely delicate ones they grow here are quite different from those at home – more flavour, and a tray of lovely dark red figs.  Plus a cooked burgundy chook and some fromage from Martine the neighbour who has a cheese stall at all the local markets.  Sausicon for Geoffrey and Curtis plus green beans to go with the chook.  Dinner was just a lovely simple combination of produce plus a bottle of Moulin A Vent from just south of here in the Beaujolais region.

I also got a bit of work done yesterday – contacting people for the American section of the fellowship.  I’m pleased to see that some of them have actually replied and set appointment times which feels like progress at last.  I think I’ll have to have another go at it tomorrow though.

Today we decided that we’d better do some sightseeing but not too early in the day mind you.  Geoffrey was charged with choosing a suitable Chateau to visit and as we saw all the really convenient chateaux last time we were here we now have to travel a bit further afield if we want to see a new one.  After a very leisurely morning riding the bike down to Shopi for croissants, jam and milk – and a baguette of course, we finally got away for our day trip just before 2pm – hopeless I know.  The chosen chateau was north from here about an hour and a half drive if you don’t take any wrong turns but of course we did – both coming and going. 

I do love the French autoroutes for many reasons but the entries and exits are laid out in a way that is totally at odds with what we are used to in Australia.  If like us you are somewhere between Lyon and Paris and you want to head north roughly in the direction of Paris you need to look out for the sign that says Lyon/Paris – which is incredibly confusing – it’s all about the pay stations – you don’t separate into your particular direction until you’ve been through the pay station (hark, I hear a donkey in the distance as I’m writing – sorry I thought you’d like to know that).  I know this is way too much detail and you’d rather hear about the chateau, but when we did finally get onto the autoroute a truck moved into the next lane to make it easier for us to merge – so elegant, so polite, can you believe it?  The trucks travel in the right lane about 30km per hour slower than the cars and it’s just so damn organised and civilised – no road rage here – absolutely no need for road rage.  You’re going as fast as you could possibly wish to go and the trucks all get out of your way.  So enough of that… now for the chateau

So our initial destination was a chateau and village called Cormarrin between Beaune and Dijon (both lovely cities but bypassed today).  This chateau I must confess was initially a little underwhelming.  Entry was via a turnstile and only into the garden, which was extensive but not particularly well cultivated.  The chateau itself was out of bounds and inhabited by someone who had their golf parked in the forecourt.  As chateaux go it was a bit of a renovators delight – or a marriage wrecker depending on which way you choose to look at it.  Some work had recently been done on the roof (best place to start in my opinion) and there goes a lazy 50 grand or so I’d say.  The chateau was surrounded by a moat of green sludgy water inhabited by hungry carp who gawped at anyone who came near the edge.  The real charm of the place was its grounds, which though uncultivated were spread out and a bit of a wilderness by French standards.  There was no one else there visiting (the imminent rain may have put off other potential visitors) and the longer we stayed there the more we felt seduced by the place – so off the beaten track, no hordes of American tourists or anything like that.  It had a kind of dilapidated sleepy charm that grew on us over the hour or so we wandered about.  I also felt keenly how the cost of maintenance of these gigantic old places could really cripple the family responsible, especially if they find themselves in reduced circumstances and many such families do.

After the chateau we wandered about the village, which had the same sleepy charm as the chateau, a couple of shops and a handful of maisons particulaires (slightly fancy houses) that would be lovely for spending the summer in.

As the rain set in we jumped into the car and headed down the road to another nearby village and associated chateau called Chateauneuf.  I think this is really where we should have gone first as it really was a picture postcard village and chateau.  The rain delayed us getting out of the car and unfortunately by the time we did the chateau itself had closed for the day.  Geoffrey had a glimpse inside before it closed and was really disappointed that we didn’t get to see it properly.  Fortunately the village itself was super cute medieval and just charmed us completely.  We loved it so much we decided to stay for dinner and found a lovely little restaurant with an open fire and a nice but unremarkable menu, which featured a lot of crepes with unusual fillings.   A nice enough meal but not fantastic – but the surroundings more than made up for it.  Unfortunately after a relaxing meal we had to drive the nearly 2 hour drive home in the dark.  Missed the autoroute entry, which added 15 minutes on to the trip.  Lots of fog on the roads around Romenay – happy to be home safely by about 9.30 with time to write this over the cup of coffee tucked up in bed.

Just one street away from the market is this little scene - so typical of the local area

Yep - figs and strawberries - what's left of them - they taste amazing

Chateauneuf - the cutest medieval village

Doesn't quite capture the magic but this little restaurant was charming with an open fire

Serenity

Stella calls this meal dunch - late lunch /early dinner - best eaten in pyjamas

Here's a little something I wrote last night and then couldn't get the internet connection to work.  Just taking things easy for a few days......

After the brutally early start yesterday, today was a pretty lazy day.  Perfect really.  Went to the boulangerie this morning and stocked up on croissants, pain au chocolat & baguettes.  Called in at Shopi for some further sustenance and then home for the rest of the day really.  Got the internet partially sorted out.  Just can’t send emails for some reason but set up a hasty web address for getting my message out.  Incoming mail is fine so all those important messages will be received and attended to!  I think I’m a little too hooked on the computer but it does help me feel connected to the world and that’s something that could be in jeopardy out here because there’s not too many folks around these parts.  Didn’t really practise my French today but tomorrow is market day so that should be fun. 

By 5pm I felt capable of going for a short run – didn’t see a single car until I was nearly home – then just one.  Several French cows gave me the once over and looked as if they didn’t see too many people – If you stare at them for a while they get quite nervous.

Then home for a glass of champagne and dinner and that’s it really – sorry today is one for the hard core fans.  I do have some work to do this week – following up with contacts in America etc but today although it was on my mind I just couldn’t make myself do anything like that.  To be fair too by the time I’d sorted out the internet I had used up quite a bit of the day.

Geoffrey gave Curtis a haircut in the garden – see picture and the kids watched a few more old episodes of Kath & Kim – which for some reason goes down a treat in a French farm house.

I’ll put in a couple more pics from England here too and I think that’s quite enough from me today seeing as I obviously haven’t done anything at all.

Geoffrey le coiffeur

A walk in the village - last day in England

In the garden in France

I’m writing this in the hope that tomorrow I can get the internet to work at the house in Romenay.  We arrived and as I feared despite hours of fruitless futsing I could not get my computer to connect to the wi fi.  I managed to call the phone company and find out that tomorrow after 9am I can speak to someone in English who can talk me through the connection.  I don’t really think my French is up to Technical support for the internet – but you never know, still I don’t want to take my chances if I can do it in English.

Despite the technical hitches which after all are not really the reason one comes to this part of France – it’s wonderful to be here.  We’ve really just transplanted ourselves from one idyllic English Village to an idyllic French one.  Hard to separate them for perfection really – this one has croissants but the English one had our lovely, lovely friends who I hadn’t seen for 22 years – and we all just clicked back together like it was barely a week since we’d seen each other – except we all had these quite grown up kids so that was a reminder that we’d been around the block a few times.

We had to get up at 4.30 this morning to catch our flight to Lyon so once again I’m feeling totally wiped out.  The plan for the next few days is to chill out and try and replenish a bit of energy.  It’s quite cool here and really feels like autumn.  It was lovely and sunny when we landed in Lyon but the weather deteriorated as the day went on.  I’m hoping we may get some nice sunny days while we’re here because by the time we left England it was frankly rather wintry and cold.

So the plan is – boulangerie, shopi, Pont de Veaux market on Wednesday, red wine, white wine, champagne, perhaps a trip to the shopping capital of the universe Macon, and there’s a marche de puce (flea market) in Tournous on Sunday.  If we have the energy we might visit a Chateau and a wine village for a bit of fun too.  Jealous?  You should be, it’s bliss here.

….PS: obviously the internet got going – one button to push – thank you Orange France for the advice in English.  Mist over the paddocks this morning.  Happiness.  Sorry no pics today - too tired - will post some later.

South of England

Phew it’s been a busy few days.  The Channel 4 meeting went well  - once I got there.  (2 taxis and 20 minutes late – totally embarrassing Had to abandon one taxi in the middle of Trafalgar square after 20 minutes) and there’s a bit of follow up to do – still a long way from anything concrete but I have some good people to talk to and see what comes of it.  Can’t really say more than that but it was nice to be taken out for lunch and have a chance to talk through my ideas for this film to someone who seemed by the end of the meeting to be willing to support it.

London was full on, exciting and exhausting.  We took in a few classic sights such as the British Museum - well just the mummies and a couple of other things, Buckingham palace - the interior was spectacular, a few trips on the top of buses, and the summer pavilion near the Serpentine gallery.  Now we’re staying in the quietest little village in the south of England near Brighton called Rodmell.  Staying with friends I haven’t seen for 22 years and it’s a hoot.  Had a fab day in Brighton today checking out all the tack of Brighton pier and the English seaside.  Lovely day and the kids enjoyed themselves.  We’re into holiday mode now for the next couple of weeks – only one interview to film while I’m in France with Tom Shakespeare but that’s still a week away so for the next few posts it will be just travelogue I’m afraid – and hopefully some fun.

Today I had the most horrendous headache and as I’ve had a bit of a tummy bug and a bit of a cold I thought it was all part of the malaise …. Until I realised that actually I was suffering from coffee withdrawals.  Our friends are tea drinkers and they drink decaffinated tea at that so after a day or so at their house my body went into serious caffeine withdrawal and that means a serious headache.  A nice strong caffe latte worked a treat where 2 panadols and 4 hours later 2 neurofens had no effect. 

As usual it’s pretty late and we’re all stuffed so I can’t really go into details so I’ll let the pictures do the talking today and toddle off to bed.

Cheerio….. and here’s a bit from Stella ….

Hi everyone,

Stella here,  We had a safe trip over, and are having fun. In London we went to the two biggest toy shops in the world [Harrods & Hamleys.] Who’s got school holidays over there? I know Toorak Primary does. On Monday we leave to go to France & we’re staying in my second cousin’s house, she’s VERY JEALOUS! We’re watching the ‘Comedy Roadshow’ while I write this post on mum’s computer. Mum’s laughing her head off, in fact she’s laughing so much, she’s crying!

How are you all? I hope your all well.

We went to Buckingham Palace the other day. It was very beautiful, and grand. The queen must be very happy to live there.

From Stella

A quilt for Geri - runner up in the liberty quilt competition

Angie the Tortoise - Simon's had him since he was 6  & he's my age now -  an heirloom really - they live to 120

Hanging about in the backyard

Brighton classic

Wow what a living room - Love it

This video is a short and silly unedited piece of colour and movement that perfectly captures the tacky joy that is Brighton pier.

.

Top Shop and top of the world

That'll be blue sky in the background - London Eye

The family all arrived safe and well and rather more promptly that I anticipated yesterday.  Flight 15 minutes early and then the rock star treatment one often receives but can’t rely on for getting through queues quickly when you have a disability meant that they were out of Heathrow nearly an hour before I actually got there to meet them which was not the plan.  

Curtis arrived in an oversized pair of Qantas pyjamas due to a bout of in flight vomiting – glad I missed that one.  Caught the tube to Kings Cross but unfortunately the lift at Heathrow was out of order so we didn’t really have a fully accessible experience of the London underground (friendly staff happy to help with a extra hand on the escalator).  That’s it for the tube for Stella as the rest of it is out of bounds for anyone with any sort of mobility impairment.  Today we’ve found that actually when there’s 4 of us travelling about town that it’s actually quite economical to use taxis.  They’re quick and efficient and most of all accessible and quite cheap for shortish distances, but I found out tonight that the buses are free for wheelchair users - I guess they're trying to compensate for fatal shortcomings of the train service.

Up late last night writing a pitch for channel 4 as I have a meeting there tomorrow to pitch this  film I'm making.  Amazingly the person we approached at Channel 4 actually remembered Untold Desires and was very impressed by it so that was a pleasant surprise.  Now I just have to make her love this new idea.  Fingers crossed for tomorrow.

Tonight I tackled the tube again for another interview, this time with Sian Vasey.  This time I got a great room to film in and the lighting set up worked a treat.  The interview was a little shorter than some of the others but some good stuff none the less.

Earlier today it was sightseeing time.  I took Geoffrey and the children on the London Eye – Stella was disappointed that it didn’t go faster.  The views were amazing and it was a really fabulous way to see London.  Then we went on a river cruise to Greenwich – perfect for a lesson about Greenwich mean time and latitude and longitude (some if which I’m a bit woolly on so maybe I’m not the best teacher).  I thought that the cruise and London eye would be the perfect low key activities for anyone who might still be carrying a bit of jet lag – not too much walking involved or schlepping about on public transport.  Perfect weather and a great day.

Doesn't it go any faster Mummy?

Absolutely lovely to have the family with me again although I did hear myself getting just a little bit terse when I got home from filming tonight and there were no teacups or drinking glasses in the room.  The hotel I chose as a special treat for the family is uber cool (and expensive) but they don’t routinely provide tea and coffee making facilities in the room – I guess fashion models & rock stars order room service when they want a cup of tea. When I asked for a kettle and some cups for my room yesterday they were happy to oblige but then the cleaner must have removed the cups during the morning clean up which was really annoying.  The room is enormous and rather glamorous but of course I didn’t sleep well which is always the way.  Yesterday they had an event here for London fashion week here and we had to battle our way through hordes of skinny blondes wearing too much makeup to get to our room.  The staff were a little vague about which brand it was – I think it was Top Shop – hardly the apex of glamour but that didn’t stop them.

I could get used to this - at the hotel

Oh well enough fluff now – time for bed.

One Life - Live It

Have just spent a wonderful weekend with my Dad’s cousin and his wife who live in Watford.  Sunday lunch also involved a visit from another cousin and her husband and then finally the younger son arrived home Sunday night from his weekend out in town.  They live in an enormous house that was originally part of the Cassiobury Estate belonging to some Earl or other – there was a large manor somewhere across the back fence – long since gone to make way for houses in the 1920’s but we noticed that the neighbour across the back has just unearthed a large cellar from the original manor that has put an immediate stop to any building works while the archaeologists come in to investigate. – We thought we had planning problems!!

The area is on the very fringe of London – last stop on the Metropolitan line but there’s a beautiful parkland and woodland just across the road where I went exploring this morning in the name of fitness.  I came across a canal with house boats on it and a lock.  On one of the houseboats was written “One Life – Live it” which made me smile.  The park this morning was full of happy dogs swimming in streams and gambolling about.  The Labrador seems to be the dog of choice but I’ve also seen more corgis in 2 weeks here than I would have seen in a decade in Australia.  The corgi enjoys a certain popularity as well as a fair smattering of whippets, dachunds, and of course the ever popular random black dog.  Not so many staffies here but a few boxers and bulldogs to be seen too.  I love watching dogs in the park as they seem to get off on just the sheer joy of existence, and they all have such personality.

Yesterday we went for a drive to Windsor and looked at the outside of Windsor Castle – the inside seemed like too much of a commitment especially as the weather was actually quite nice.  Windsor was incredibly crowded and then we wandered to Eton – the adjoining town which was rather charming and we even saw Eton boys changing out of their rugby gear (not as thrilling as it might sound) and one walking the street in school uniform which is still a bowtie and tails – extraordinary – and slightly more thrilling.

Back home to liberally poured gin and tonics followed by French wine courtesy of my mother (a guest here last year).  A delicious dinner and a late night.  I feel fully rested after doing very little today and ready to tackle another week as a traveller & occasional filmmaker in London – this time with children.  Geoffrey and the children arrive Monday lunch time and my next challenge is to get them to the hotel in an accessible and affordable manner.  The Heathrow express train for 4 people costs nearly as much as a taxi so I’m thinking a trip on the tube might work to Kings Cross (a station with lifts) followed by a shortish taxi ride. – stay tuned for the success or otherwise of that plan.

Chez Watford

Over lunch today we did the obligatory delving about in family history and I found out that apparently my great grandfather “was the organist at St Pauls” – no one seemed to know if it was the St Pauls or not – until he had a nervous breakdown and was incarcerated in a mental asylum I think for the remainder of his life.  The story goes that my great grandmother said he had died but continued to visit him in the asylum until he did actually die many years later.  I’m guessing that it was his son’s death on the battlefields in France during WW1 that pushed him to the edge and lead to his “breakdown” which was at that time a shameful secret.  My great grandmother was a tough woman who lived well into her nineties in her house in Holloway and was known to always descent the stairs backwards because of her severe arthritis.  She outlived another son – my grandfather who died of a cerebral haemorrhage while selling a packet of cigarettes to a woman in the tobacconist in Mildura where he worked.  He handed her the cigarettes but collapsed and died before she could hand him the money.  He was 56.

2 days for the price of one

Visiting Furrah's studio

Me not feeling the colour vibe

Yesterday I made another trip out to Enfield to visit an artist I met a few months ago in Melbourne called Furrah Syed.  Furrah was in Melbourne exhibiting her art and she also conducted a workshop in art appreciation for people with vision impairments.  Her workshops include an activity where people are encouraged to experience the different temperatures that colours radiate.  Several years ago I did a great deal of research about colour for a documentary that I never got to make (one of many) and so the idea of Furrah’s workshop promised an 

opportunity to witness something that I’d read about but never seen first hand.  At very short notice I contacted the organisers and Furrah agreed to allow me to come along and film the workshop.  We became friends and so now that it was my turn to visit London she took me out for the day.  First we visited her studio so I could see her wonderful art works – they are all totally abstract with a wonderful use of colour and texture.  After me totally failing the colour test – all I felt was a sore shoulder as I wasn’t really comfortable enough to pick up any subtle colour vibrations – we went to Forty Hall – an old manor from Henry VIII time.  There we had lunch served in rather eclectic style, followed by a stroll in the gardens.

Later in the afternoon I went off in the other direction to visit my distribution company Mercury Media (they distribute my films in the UK – I don’t own the company!!!).  Tim immediately wanted to pitch my new film to Channel 4 and so I had to actually think about the project in commercial terms  - something I had so far studiously avoided.  I also got into a super long and involved conversation with the “creative director” of the company who is building a mammoth distribution website.  He’s one of those people who is totally passionate about what they are doing and I’m sure he talked for nearly half an hour without drawing breath.  He certainly sounded like he knew everything there was to know about technical formats and post-production.  I just came away just knowing that there’s a lot I don’t know ….but at least I know what questions to ask – mostly.  It was a head spinning conversation.

The meeting with Tim also meant that I had to go home and re write my pitch, which meant I had quite a bit of homework to do last night.

I ended up working until nearly midnight logging tapes for inspiration and then writing the pitch for Tim.  This morning I slept in for the first time in weeks. Bliss.

Today I really needed a day to follow up on a few phone calls and of course more tape logging.  The logging is important to do along the way as you can see what you’ve actually got on tape in terms of picture and sound but also really take notice of what people are saying and if it makes sense and can be edited.  It also gives me ideas about what to talk to the next person about.  In short it’s a crucial reference and check on what I’m doing.  Also the last thing you want is to get home with 25 hours of tape that hasn’t been logged.  It’s way too daunting.  So I have to allocate a certain amount of time to staying on top of the logging, and today was the day and I got it all done – yay.

It’s great to revisit material from a few days ago and think it over and it’s also great to see different interviews dovetailing in with each other where one person picks up on something another person has said … because I’m asking the right questions of course.  Get ready for a lot of socialist political theory … but then in America I think it will be very different.  I can already see little disputes arising between interviewees – point and counterpoint – it’s all there.

In the middle of the day I took a break as it was a sunny day so I went for a run.  I just took off down the road and after 15 minutes or so got quite delightfully lost.  Found myself in a pretty little area called Launceston Gardens and eventually came out at Kensington High Street – except that I didn’t know that for a while.  Another jog through Holland Park and then wandered back to Earls Court and grabbed yet another Marks & Spencer’s meal for one.  Thank goodness the quality and variety of these meals is quite good but I think I’ve had just about enough of them.  Judging by the queues of people in M& S at mealtimes, I think that half of London must live on them.

Tapes were all done by about 5.30 so that my master logistical plan could take place.  I have way more luggage with me than is possible for a single woman to move about on public transport on her own.  I drove it all here in a car but now I don’t have a car and I don’t want to spend a month in traffic in a London Taxi.  Tomorrow I take the train to Watford for the weekend with family so I needed to have less luggage – Watford is a long way out.  So this afternoon I took my camera and tripod and lighting kit to the hotel I’m staying in next week.  They were very accommodating and allowed me to leave it in the bell room for the weekend.  So fingers crossed it’s still there on Monday.

Anything involving the camera kit on the tube is a nightmare as there are stairs everywhere but I must say that some gentleman always offers to help me get it up the stairs – and I graciously accept with plenty of smiles and thank yous.

I saw my first wheelchair user since I’ve been in London – a man begging on the millennium bridge.  There are just no wheelchair users on the streets in London.  With the exception of a handful of random stations, the tube is totally inaccessible and so there are also very few people with prams.  Lots of travellers struggling with luggage like me but all of the wheelchair users must be in Morecombe where my journey began – that place was full of wheelchairs.  I’m actually starting to worry a little about how we’re going to get around London with Stella next week – stay tuned on that one.

So anyway, after the schlep across town to deposit the gear I felt all free and footloose for once so I headed off the to the Tate Modern for a glass of champagne and a look at the lovely city skyline from the best view in town. After the champagne took effect I wandered past a few Picassos, Bacons and Dalis and then found a looped screening of Maya Deren’s experimental film from the 1943, Meshes of the Afternoon.  I haven’t seen this film since Visual Arts at Monash Uni but I’ve always remembered its images and mood and it’s general weirdness. This time because it was on a loop I watched the second half first followed by the beginning.  Not a bad way to watch it really because then you know what to take notice of at the start.  That was a real delight and after that I wandered off into the night along the Thames, over Blackfriars Bridge and home via Temple Station.

Millennium Bridge looking back at St Paul's Cathedral

Then looking the other way towards the glass of champagne on the top floor.

Squirrels - can't do better than that today.

Today was a day to make plans and see a little bit of London, as well as catching up on tape logging – which I still have to do tonight.  I'm afraid today's post is a bit lame - apologies for the self indulgence.  The end may redeem an otherwise banal travelogue - sorry again....  I spent the morning on the phone and on email and achieved a little but not nearly as much as one might hope.  After that I went for a run to Holland Park, which is quite near the hotel.  To my delight I discovered that Holland Park is full of squirrels.  I’m sure they’re probably the London equivalent of possums to the locals but heck they’re cute.  No wonder the squirrel has starred in so many movies and children’s storybooks.  They way they look and scurry about is hilarious.  I took some photos (you should all be aware that the only still camera I have with me is my iphone so the technology is basic – no zoom just take a few steps closer which doesn’t really work with squirrels as they tend to scurry).  So after being entertained by the squirrels for a while I ran back to the hotel via the shops and post office. 

Posting things seems to be a mammothly complicated business in other countries.  The woman behind the six inch security glass took ages to locate the correct stamps for my simple local parcel – she seemed to be counting her superannuation increase between the beginning and end of my transaction – do they even have superannuation here?  I’m sure the postal workers have some sort of generous pension that she was clinging on for.  I remember in France I had to order in the correct stamps to send postcards to Australia and wait 2 days just for the stamps to come in – that’s before they were even posted.  Sorry I digress.

So after a bit more time back at the Hotel I finally headed out mid afternoon for a bit of a wander.  I began in Covent Garden, which was one of my favourite places when I was here 20 years ago.  Needless to say it’s changed a lot but I noticed that my favourite café 20 years ago was still there – sadly I wasn’t tempted.  I then needed to visit the hotel we’re staying at next week to see if they could mind my camera gear over the weekend so I don’t have to take it on the train to Watford WITH my suitcase.  “Oh it’s fashion week and we’re very busy but yes, I’m sure we can take care of it for you just bring it by on Friday.”  Nothing seemed to be too much trouble – what a relief.  It’s the kind of hotel where being fashion week is actually relevant.  This could be fun – stay tuned.

After that some aimless strolling lead me through a couple of small art galleries and then to the Getty Images Gallery which has an exhibition of fabulous black and white photos of stars in London – Audrey Hepburn, Warren Beatty, Judy Garland, Alfred Hitchcock, Groucho Marx (“I’m leaving London because the weather’s too good.  I only like London when it’s raining.”).

Speaking of good quotes Melanie told me one last night to love “if you don’t go over the top you’ll never see what’s on the other side” – now there’s a motto to live by – and maybe to make a film by.  Things are starting to come together in my mind about how to bring this film together thanks to some tips and lively discussion last night – thanks Mel.

A funny day with a touristy centre but I've spent tonight surfing You Tube and seen some great stuff which goes to show you that you don't need to leave home to see the world but maybe you need to leave home to have the time to spend hours on You Tube seeing the world.

If you can cope with a bit of coarse language check this out - it's GOLD.  From Sweden

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ivTKRSURsQ&feature=related

25 stops & 3 trains plus wheels

I’m settled in London now.  Hotel is nice and cheery with a window and a view onto a mews but the room is of course so miniscule that Yoga poses must be adapted to fit.  Yesterday was all about overcoming my horror at spending more than 5 hours on the motorway at speed, in heavy traffic (think west gate bridge – perhaps not peak hour but at 110k’s per hour) in a thick cloud of rain.  Visibility about 4 feet.  Frankly it was scary.  I threw a smallish tantrum some time before Manchester but nobody took any notice, so maybe it didn’t really happen.

Today was a challenge of a different order.  I had to get myself and my camera, sound gear, tripod and lighting kit from Earls Court to Enfield – about 25 stops and 3 trains away.  I have a habit of not really making life easy for myself and so it was with some anxiety about stairs that I set off.  Now I have a small inkling of how wheelchair users feel every day.

My mission today was an interview with Judy Hunt, the widow of Paul Hunt who with Vic Finkelstein started the Union of Physically Impaired Against Segregation (UPIAS) back in the 1960’s.  Judy was a gracious and generous interviewee.  We had exchanged several emails over the past few weeks and she was well prepared and had given the interview quite a bit of thought.  So I spent a fascinating couple of hours as she discussed the origins of the social model of disability, why they chose the phrase “disabled people” over “people with disabilities”, the idea of a disabled people’s union in the context of the welfare state and the impact that the dismantling of the welfare state has had on disabled people over the past 20 years or so.  Of course there was much, much more.  Some lovely personal anecdotes mixed in with challenging political theories.

I’m loving hearing about all these ideas that are still radical today (maybe more so – especially in Australia in some circles – not all) and thinking about how they can tell the story that I’ve set out to tell which seems to get more complicated by the day.

There’s a sign in the Tube – an advert for and exhibition at the British Museum – The History of the World in 100 Objects – maybe that’s an approach to take with a film that just keeps getting bigger in scope.

Tonight I’ve been out on the town with my mate Melanie Coombs who’s here working at Kudos who made Spooks (one of my favourite ways to spend a Friday night).  So nice to have some social time, sharing our love of what we do.  Then home to a big Skype with another mate so I feel like I’ve reconnected with the world – and now I need some sleep.

Seize The Day

The views from this pub are sensational

Baaa

I'm nearly at the top of the mountain and this is the view

Last night I had the best sleep since I got here – just the sound of a stream in the distance and a few sheep bleating – lovely.  Another British breakfast to start the day – they have to stop if I’m not going to expand beyond my jeans.  Then the plan for the day was to tackle the 3 mile – 2 hour walk over Wandsfell (that’s a very big hill to you) to Ambleside.  Headed off feeling full of beans and really it was a spectacular walk.  Passed plenty of English walkers with hiking sticks and often accompanied by very happy looking dogs (something you never see bushwalking in Australia).   The walk itself took in some really spectacular views of the mountains and lakes – not entirely unlike Cradle Mountain I suppose – and involved some serious mountain climbing not only up the mountain but also a really tediously steep climb down that made my knees hurt (whinge, whinge).  As soon as I got near the top of the mountain my phone bleeped that I had 3 missed calls from Jasper.  3 missed calls deserves a call back but I couldn’t get through straight away. 

After 2 strenuous hours I finally made it in to Ambleside.  My feet were already quite sore and I just felt really tired but the bad news was that I still had to do the walk back.  I thought maybe a sit down and a cup of tea might revive me enough for the return trip – the British breakfast means that I still wasn’t hungry, but I couldn’t find anywhere appealing enough to take tea.  Instead I bought some cheese, orange juice and chocolate to go with the oatcakes and fruit I had in my bag and decided to stop for a picnic on the walk back.

I began the steep hike back up the mountain and made it to a damp seat where I stopped for some juice.  It began to rain.  The raindrops seemed to wash away any resolve I had to tackle the walk and I knew that I just couldn’t face it.  Not only were my feet and legs sore but I just had no energy.  After a moment of feeling like a total wimp I packed up my picnic and set off back down the hill to the information centre to call a taxi.

While I was waiting for the taxi to arrive I finally made contact with a very flat sounding Jasper who told me that a friend of his, who has suffered a spinal cord injury in a motor bike accident a year ago had just died.  The death was apparently caused by an overdose (whether accidental or deliberate we cannot know).  I didn’t know this boy personally but Jasper had talked about him to me and I just felt and feel incredibly sad.  I also feel that if we as a society didn’t view disability as a fate worse than death then maybe coming to terms with spinal cord injury might be a little less daunting.  People need positive role models, employment, social inclusion and a view of the future.  Then maybe just maybe some of these lives could be saved emotionally as well as physically.

In the meantime my thoughts are with his family and friends for whom the loss must be compounded by what they have been through already over the past year.

I was glad I’d finally got through to Jasper – I knew something was wrong but I just couldn’t imagine what.  Even at 27 he still always calls him Mum in a crisis and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

My taxi arrived and delivered me in comfort and ease across the hills back to the Mortal Man (how fitting that this is the name of the pub I’m staying in).  I feel flat and not inclined to do much for the rest of the day but the scenery is still beautiful from every angle at this place and it reminds me that you’re a long time dead. 

Carpe diem. 

To London tomorrow.

September 11

On a date that’s synonymous with so much that is wrong with the world, I can tell you there’s still very much that is right with this beautiful world.  In particular the English Lakes district is absolutely stunning.  On a par with Lake Como in Italy but rather different – less glitzy, less Italian obviously. 

real coffee in a sachet that you tear open and pour over a filter - never seen 'em before - quite spiffy.

I went for a walk this afternoon on the fells (local for hills I guess) and got quite lost.  I could see the Mortal Man pub where I’m staying in the dim distance across the fells but couldn’t figure out how to get there.  Kept getting stymied by flooded tracks – water, water everywhere rushing lake-wards.  This classic English pub that I’m staying in is just over the hills from Ambleside on the shores of lake Windemere and I’m planning to walk there tomorrow.  I’m thinking it’s probably a full day walking there and back so hopefully I’ll get some sleep tonight – unlike last night.

I spent the past 2 nights in Leeds which didn’t look too bad, what little I saw of it, however my hotel – which was very smartly decorated and kitted out – had a very claustrophobic vibe to it and I just couldn’t relax there.  The corridors were all black and the carpet in the quite small room was also black.  As you’ll all know I’m a girl who’s fond of black, but this was just too much.  I don’t think it helped either that the room’s 3 very small windows were set well above eye level and looked directly out onto another building.  One thing though – the breakfasts were sensational.  Just everything was scrumptious and so delicious and of course I ate way too much of everything.

Now just briefly the reason for my going to Leeds was to interview the guru of the social model of disability, Professor Colin Barnes.  He didn’t invent the theory it but he did put it on the map.   Colin has charisma and was sensational to interview.  I just encouraged him to talk (which wasn’t hard) and off he went.  After a wonderful afternoon of chat we got away just after 5pm.  I can see him heading off down the stairs (“I don’t use lifts”) as I headed to the lift and he turned to me and said “make sure you give us a great film.”  Can you believe it I lay awake nearly all of last night in my black hotel room worrying about whether I can make him a great film.

Okay - it's moss but there's lots of it here and it's very green and pretty - and heart shaped

Beatrix Potter's veggie garden

Today I went to Beatrix Potter’s cute little farm called Hill Top – it was adorable and I don’t think it will keep me awake tonight.

Lancaster to Leeds

Church Ruins at Heysham

Heysham village - iphone doesn't do it justice

It feels like its been a huge day and an age since I left the glorious Midland Hotel.  I decided to treat myself to a morning of sightseeing before the journey to Leeds and I was very grateful for a bit of local knowledge that made the day a treat.

I need to back track a little because while I was at Lancaster University I had a room for recording my interviews in, but when I was not in the room I needed to find the security guard to come and lock the room and then unlock it again when I wanted to go back in.  Rob the security guard I suspect was a little bored in his job, and was only too keen to hang about and chat with me.  He was a Scot and not always easy to understand but very quickly he’d shared his life story with me.  When he was quite young his girlfriend fell pregnant so he offered to marry her, she accepted and they went on to have 4 children together.  He described how he was an old fashioned type of guy and always handed over his pay packet unopened to his wife and she took care of all the bills – or so he thought.  One day after things had been a bit weird for a while she came to him and told him that the bank was going to repossess their house.  She hadn’t been paying the mortgage for quite a while but had used his money to buy drugs instead.  He also found out around this time that their eldest son – the one he’d married her to legitimise was not actually his.  He described feeling devastated – not because he loved the lad any less but sad because he wasn’t his – and of course quite angry with his wife who’d so thoroughly done him over.  Somehow they managed to stay together until the children were in their late teens but finally he left her and started to save up for another house.  When he went to the bank to buy a house on his own he was worried that they may not lend to him because his earlier house had been repossessed so he told the bank that he was a first home buyer and they never checked and never questioned it.  So now he has his own house but I didn’t find out if he had another partner – I certainly got the impression he was on his own – but that may have been a tactical omission.  I’m not sure why I’m telling you all this but the story seemed so tragic and at the same time like something out of a movie – and beyond it all he seemed so calm and maybe a bit bewildered by it but not really resentful.

Anyhow with the big life story out of the way he also gave me some sightseeing tips that included a visit to a tiny historic village called Heysham about 2 miles from the hotel along to beachfront.  Absolutely the most picturesque little spot by the sea – I won’t try to describe it, just look at the photos.  Of course such a visit would not be complete for me without the serenity being obliterated by a duo of whipper snippers (not one but two!).  I know the grass needs to be cut some time but I think these guys follow me around the world with their leaf blowers, whipper snippers, chainsaws and various other noise making implements of maintenance.

I should mention that across the road from the Midland Hotel was a Blackpool style fun parlour that also hired out bicycles, so I hired one this morning which took me to Heysham and later along the bike path to Lancaster.  In all I think I cycled about 10 miles – and felt very tired and sore in the posterior afterwards.  In Lancaster I saw the Lancaster Priory and wandered around the outside of the castle.  I was a bit tired and hungry by this time so kept the sightseeing to a minimum.

Lunch was a small picnic back in the car consisting of a punnet of fresh raspberries – all perfect and tasty, a fresh fig, some Scottish oatcakes with Yorkshire blue cheese, a bag of green salad and some organic chocolate.  You can’t ask for a better lunch than that.

Now the bloke who ran the fun parlour also gave me a great travel tip.  He suggested that instead of taking the motorway to Leeds I might like to take the scenic route, and again I was go glad of the local knowledge.  He told me to drive to Skipton, then Harrogate and then to Leeds.  Well the scenery was just wonderful – miles of hedgerows just like they drive through in Top Gear, tiny little stone villages, gorgeous green hills – it was really a fantastic drive.  Probably much longer than the motorway but a hundred times more interesting.  In Harrogate he said I should go to Betty’s tearooms.  I got to Harrogate at about 4.30 – a little late for tea I thought, and how on earth was I going to find these tearooms?  Harrogate is a rather classy little area and I only had to ask one person to find that I was very near said tearooms and they were indeed very much worth visiting and still very open and busy at that time of day.  Betty’s tearooms are like Koko Black but with high tea.  A big menu of exquisite delicacies – I settled on the house tea, which came with a full silver service and a lovely fine cup and saucer that was large and held about half a litre of tea.  I also had a raspberry macaroon with more fresh raspberries – yum.  After that I felt much better and pressed on to Leeds.

I’m here in Leeds now at the Malmaison hotel for 2 nights.  While the room is cheaper than the Midland it’s also smaller, has no view and is next to the lift - which I can hear.  It’s a very nice room for what it is but the area looks a bit dead.  Luckily I have a day at Leeds University tomorrow interviewing Colin Barnes and looking at archival material for my film.  I think I’ll try and make and early escape to the lakes on Saturday morning.

Betty's tearooms - Harrogate - a must if you're near.

Church yard at Heysham

Internet is only free for the first 30 minutes too which annoys me – $15 if you go over time so I might be offline for a day or so after this.